1. Field of the Invention
The described embodiments relate generally to portable computing devices. More particularly, the present embodiments relate to providing protection against moisture intrusion.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, small form factor consumer electronic products such as media players and cellular phones have become smaller, lighter and yet more capable by incorporating more powerful operating components into smaller and more densely packed configurations. This reduction in size and increase in density can be attributed in part to the manufacturer's ability to fabricate various operational components such as processors and memory devices in ever smaller sizes while increasing their power and/or operating speed. However, this trend to smaller sizes and increase in component density and power, however, poses a number of continuing design and assembly challenges.
For example, small form factor consumer electronic products, such as a media player, can require the assembly of a number of components into an enclosure having an extremely small volume. Assembling the various components into the housing having such a small size can require complex, expensive, and time consuming assembly techniques. Moreover, aesthetic considerations can severely restrict the placement, size, and number of components used in the manufacture of the small form factor consumer electronic product. For example, proper alignment of external features such as buttons can be extremely difficult to accomplish when the small size of the consumer electronic device itself can severely reduce the available tolerance stack of the assembled components.
Yet another design challenge is insuring that the assembled components that are visible maintain their aesthetic look and “feel” over an expected operating lifetime and under anticipated environment operating conditions of the consumer electronic product. One component that can be visible on a consumer electronic product is a switch. Typically, a switch, such as an electromechanical switch, can be user actuated to provide operational inputs for controlling a device. For electromechanical switches, it is desirable that, over the expected lifetime of the device, 1) the switch maintains operable for its intended purpose, i.e., a proper input is generated according to the switch position, and 2) the “feel” of the switch is maintained, i.e., it moves smoothly from position to position in the manner for which it was designed and does not stick.
An environmental condition that can cause an electromechanical switch to deviate from its intended operational performance is moisture intrusion. Moisture intrusion can facilitate the build-up of oxides on metal components or the deposition of particulates within the switch that can affect the switch's electrical outputs and the feel of the switch during actuation. For small, high-density components with limited operational tolerances, preventing moisture intrusion can be difficult. Thus, in view of the foregoing, there is a need for improved techniques for inhibiting moisture flow and/or mitigating the effects of moisture intrusion in consumer electronic products.